2 accused of staging Queens token booth robbery

Two people are under arrest after authorities say a purported holdup of a subway token booth operator in Queens turned out to be a setup.

The token booth operator, 48-year old Tracy King, was tied up with rope and bound with duct tape in a break room at the 111th Street station on the No. 7 line in the Corona section.

When she was found Saturday morning, she claimed she had been tied up and robbed by a contractor.

Further investigation revealed that she conspired with the so-called contractor, identified as 42 year old Anthony Brown.

Authorities say she had Brown rob the station's safe of $4,000 Saturday morning because she knew there would be a lot of money inside.

According to prosecutors, King told police that Brown pointed a revolver and stun gun at her, duct-taped her hands and mouth, removed the key to the MTA ticket booth and stated "I don't want to hurt you, it's all about the money."

King allegedly told police that Brown left her in the break room and that she heard a grinding noise coming from inside the MTA ticket booth.

Prosecutors say Brown never had a gun or any weapon, and that he had known King for about ten years and that they were friends.

King was charged with grand larceny, conspiracy, and defrauding the government.

Brown was charged with burglary, robbery, and kidnapping.

If convicted, they each face seven years in prison.

"Instead of being the alleged victim of a gunpoint robbery at her job, the MTA employee charged in this case is accused of staging the purported robbery and splitting the proceeds of the crime with an accomplice," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.